Monday, May 20, 2013

Rate-A-Restaurant #296: Artichoke Basille's Pizza

We stipulated: It was my last night in New York, and stepping out of a Broadway show at around 10:15, I was hungry. A friend suggested Mario Batali's Eataly for a quick bite. But by the time I got there, the upscale grocer was winding down for the night. But at that point I had pizza on the mind. I had read about Artichoke Basille's, and saw that they were open until 5 a.m. -- no chance of missing out on a slice.

They stipulated: "Pizzaiolos, cousins and best friends, Francis Garcia and Sal Basille opened Artichoke Basille's® on 14th St. in 2008. Having gotten their hands into the business early working at their family's restaurant, Basille's in Staten Island, the boys and their pizza shop have made more than a name for themselves in Manhattan."

What we ordered: A slice of Artichoke pizza ($4.50)

High point: That crisp crust is all the more amazing given how much creamy sauce is piled on the Artichoke pizza.

Low point: Man, is this pizza rich. I couldn't stop wondering how many calories I was putting into my body. I know, I know, that's not the point. But I hadn't exercised all week in NYC, and was starting to feel guilty.

Overall impression: It truly is like eating an Artichoke dip pizza. The creamy sauce isn't overpowering, and wow do they put a lot of cheese on it. The slices are HUGE, and even though I didn't plan on eating all of it, I sure came close.

Chance we'll go back: I might be willing to try their new line of frozen pizzas, but I'm not sure I'll return when I'm back in NYC. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but I've got a "been there, done that" kind of attitude toward Artichoke Basille's. We'll see.